1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for use in compacting used aluminum beverage cans. In particular, the present invention relates to an inexpensive, simple device that can be used by a homemaker or one collecting aluminum cans to compact the aluminum cans for storage prior to delivering the crushed cans to a recycling facility.
2. State of the Art
Aluminum cans are used extensively for beverage containers. It has become ecologically desirable to recycle the empty aluminum cans after they have been used. However, storage of the empty cans becomes a problem. The cans are rather bulky, and it is advantageous to crush the cans to reduce their bulk during storage prior to delivery of the cans to a recycling facility. Unfortunately, there has been no inexpensive, simple device that has been proposed heretofore for allowing the homemaker or can collector to crush the used aluminum cans.
There have been proposed rather complex mechanical devices employing levers and other combinations of mechanical elements for crushing aluminum containers. These prior art devices are bulky and overly expensive. In the opinion of the applicant, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,133,261; 4,197,796; 4,208,906; 4,228,734 and 4,682,539 represent the most relevant prior art of which the applicant is aware.
3. Objectives
A particular objective of the invention is to provide a novel, inexpensive device of very simple construction that can itself be readily stored by the homemaker with other household utensils and which can be used to easily and quickly crush aluminum cans at the time the cans are used by the homemaker.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a simple, unitary device that is easily carried and stored by a person who might be collecting cans, whereby the device is useful to readily and quickly crush cans as the cans are collected.
It is still another objective of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive device which can be used by one hand of the user and which will readily crush the aluminum can and thereby reduce the bulk of the cans that are being collected and stored.